Addiction will often play out in stages. The stages of addiction are:
- experimentation: uses or engages out of curiosity. Very few people set out to become addicted but they do.
- social or regular: uses or engages in social situations or for social reasons. In this next stage on the road toward addiction, something that was once considered recreational or temporary becomes a lifestyle.
- problem or risk: uses or engages in an extreme way with disregard for consequences
- dependency & tolerance: uses or engages in a behaviour on a daily basis, or several times per day, despite possible negative consequences and at this stage they are fully mature addicts.
There is no single reason why people and usually teenagers use drugs or alcohol. But here are some of the core issues and influences behind the behaviour of teenage drug and alcohol use. It’s important that parents, understand these reasons and talk to their kids about the dangers of drinking and doing drugs. The reasons can include:
Other people
Teenagers see lots of people consuming various substances. They see their parents and other adults drinking alcohol, smoking or vaping and sometimes, trying other substances. Sometimes friends urge one another to have a drink or smoke a joint, but it’s just as common for teens to start trying a substance because it’s readily available and they see all their friends enjoying it. In their minds, they see drug use as a part of the normal teenage experience.
Popular media
The music that teens listen to makes marijuana seem cool. Movies and TV shows make drugs seem like an OK thing to do.
Escape and self-medication
When teens are unhappy and can’t find a healthy outlet for their frustration or a trusted confidant, they may turn to chemicals for solace. The often-rough teenage years can take an emotional toll on children, sometimes even causing depression, so when teens are given a chance to take something to make them feel better, many can’t resist.
Boredom
Teens who can’t tolerate being alone have trouble keeping themselves occupied or crave excitement are prime candidates for substance use. Not only do alcohol and marijuana give them something to do, but those substances help fill the internal void they feel. Further, they provide a common ground for interacting with like-minded teens, a way to instantly bond with a group of kids.
Rebellion
Different rebellious teens choose different substances to use based on their personalities. Alcohol is the drug of choice for the angry teenager because it frees them to behave aggressively. Some teens abuse prescription medicine to party and get high. Hallucinogens (ex. mushrooms, LSD) are also escape drugs, often used by young people who feel misunderstood and may long to escape to a more idealistic, kind world. Smoking cigarettes can be a form of rebellion to flaunt their independence and make their parents angry. The reasons for teenage drug-use are as complex as teenagers themselves.
Instant gratification
Drugs and alcohol work quickly. The initial effects feel really good. Teenagers turn to drug use because they see it as a short-term shortcut to happiness.
Lack of confidence
Many shy teenagers who lack confidence report that they’ll do things under the influence of alcohol or drugs that they might not otherwise. This is part of the appeal of drugs and alcohol even for relatively self-confident teens and even adults; you have the courage to dance if you’re a bad dancer, or sing at the top of your lungs even if you have a terrible voice, or kiss the girl you’re attracted to.
Alcohol and other drugs like cocaine also tend not only to loosen your inhibitions but to alleviate social anxiety. Not only do you have something in common with the other people around you, but there’s the mentality that if you do anything or say anything stupid, everyone will just think you had too many drinks or something.